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2 R E K A T I H W R S CANOPY FOR BIGYOLES.

No. 579,812. Patented Mar. 30, 1897.

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S. F. WHITAKER.

GANOPY FOR BIGYOLES.

No 579,812. Patented Mar. 30, 1897.

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UNITED STATES PATENT EErcE.

SCOTT F. WHITAKER, OF WVORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO CHARLES A. HOMER, OF SAME PLACE.

CANOPY FOR BICYCLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 579,812, dated March 30, 1897.

Application filed October 24, 1896. Serial No. 609,934. (No model.)

1" 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Scorr F. WHITAKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Worcester, in the county of \Vorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Canopies for Bicycles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to bicycle-canopies; and it consists in the novel features hereinafter fully described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of the upper portion of a bicycle-frame with my canopy attached thereto; Fig. 2 is a section through the canopy on line 2 2, Fig. 1, looking in the direction of arrow at, same figure. The standard is shown broken off. Fig. 3 is an end View of the canopy folded or shut. The standard is shownbroken off. Fig. 4 is a side view of one end of the canopy-frame, looking in the direction of arrow 1), Fig. 2, with the covering removed and the standard broken off. Fig. 5 is a detail of the lock device which keeps the canopy open, and Fig. 6 is a detail of the clamp device for the front standard of the canopy. Figs. 5 and 6 are shown on an enlarged scale.

In the accompanying drawings, 1 is the front rod of the diamond frame of a bicycle, within which the upper end of the front-wheel fork turns in the usual way.

2 is the central bar or rod of the diamond frame forming the upright post, in the upper end of which is supported and secured the saddle-support 3 in the ordinary way.

My canopy attachment consists of the front standard 4 and the rear standard 5, which are preferably curved inwardly at their lower ends and extend in a vertical plane above their curved ends, so as to bring the front end of the canopy beyond the front of the diamond frame and well over the front wheel and the rear of the canopy beyond the seat and well over the rear wheel.

The standards 4 and 5 are attached at their lower ends to the front rod 1 and the rear rod 2, respectively, of the frame, preferably in the manner shown in the drawings and by means of a clamp device consisting of two parts, the stationary part 6, secured to the lower end of each standard and adapted to partially encircle the rod 1 or rod 2, and the movable part '7, also adapted to partially encircle the rod 1 or 2 and hinged to the part 6 at one end (see Fig. 6) and provided at its other end with an ear 7 which after the part 7 is closed on the rod 1 or 2 is secured to an ear 6 on the stationary part 6 to secure the clamp on the rod 1 or 2, in this instance by a bolt 8, passing loosely through a hole in the ear 6 and through a screw-threaded hole in the ear '7. Any other suitable means may be employed to clamp the parts 6 and '7 on the rods 1 and 2.

In addition to the clamp device on the front standard 4 I may use a supplemental bracearm 9 and clamp device to hold said standard more rigidly. Said supplemental brace-arm 9 is provided at its inner end with a clamp device to be secured to the post 1 of similar construction to the clamp device above described, and its outer end 9 is made forked, as shown in Fig. 6, t0 fit onto the standard 4 and is secured thereto by a thumb-screw 10 or otherwise.

The upper ends of the standards 4 and 5 extend in substantially the same horizontal plane, and on said upper ends is secured a bar 11, (see Figs. 2 and 4,) which extends in the direction of the length of the bicycle over the central bar or rod of the frame and forms the central longitudinal rib or ridge of the canopy-frame.

The upper ends of the standards 4 and 5 may be attached rigidly to the ends of the bar 11, or they may be hinged thereto, so that they may be folded together under said bar 11.-

To form the frame for the canopy-covering, I use, in connection with the central bar 11, two side bars 12 and 13, extending one on each side of the bar 11 and parallel thereto and in a lower horizontal plane when the canopy is open, as shown in Fig. 2.

The bars 12 and 13 are supported at their ends by means of two pairs of movable arms 14 14 and 15 15. The lower ends of one pair, as 14, are pivotally attached to move in a vertical plane to the front standard 4 by a screw 16 or otherwise, and the lower ends of the other pair, as 15, are pivotally attached to the rear standard 5 by a screw 17 or otherwise.

The lower ends of the arms 14 and 15 are pivoted at such a point on the standards 4 and 5 that when they are extended their upper ends and the bars 12 and 13, supported thereon, will be in a horizontal plane below the central bar 11 when the canopy is open, (see Fig. 2,) so that when the canopy-covering 18, which may be of any suitable flexible material, as oil-silk, canvas, rubber cloth, &c., with a fringe 18 on the edge, if desired, is extended over and secured to the central bar 11 and two side bars 12 and 13 the sides of the canopy will be inclined or sloping to cause the rain falling thereon to run oil from the side edges of the canopy.

To keep the arms 1% and down in their lower position, as shown in Fig. 2, and to hold them in their raised position when moved together, as shown in Fig. 3, I preferably e1nploy two metal strips 19 and for each pair of arms 14 and 15. The strips 19 and 20 are pivoted at their outer ends on the arms 14 or 15 (see Fig. 2) and are pivotally attached together at their inner ends by a pin 21.

The arm 19 has an extension beyond the pivot-point 21, which is provided with a notch 19 and with an offset tongue or projection 19", adapted to look into a notch 20 in the other strip when the arms 14 and 15 are open, as shown in Fig. 2. Any other well-known device may be employed to keep the arms 14: and 15 open or closed.

The advantages of my bicycle-canopy will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art. It can be quickly and easily attached to or removed from the bicycle-frame. It can be folded when not in use, and it is large enough to extend entirely over the bicycleframe, and also the rider, whether in an upright or stooping position. It is rigidly secured at its front end and at its rear end to the front end and the rear end of the bicycleframe, respectively, and can be used equally well on a mans or a womans bicycle. It is so made that in case of rain the water will run off of the side edges of the canopy without falling on the rider or the bicycle, and it offers little or no resistance to the air when the bicycle is in motion.

It will be understood that the details of construction of my canopy attachment may be varied,il' desired. Any suitable form of clamp may be used for attaching the front and rear standards of the canopy to the bicycle-frame.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a eanopyfor bicycles,the combination, with a front and a rear standard, the lower end of each of which is provided with means for detachably securing it to the frame of a bicycle, apair of arms pivotally secured near the upper end of each standard, bars for connecting the respectively opposite ends of the standards and the arms, a flexible cover upon the bars, and two notched strips secured to each pair of arms, the inner ends of which are pivotally secured together and provided with interloekin g notches, substantially as set forth.

2. Ina canopy for bicycles, the combination, with a front and a rear standard, the lower end of each of which is provided with means for detachably securing it to the frame of a bicycle, a pair of arms pivotally secured near the upper end of each of the standards, bars for connecting the respectively opposite ends of the standards and arms, a flexible canopy upon the bars, and two strips secured to each pair of arms, the inner ends of which are pivotally secured together, the inner end of one of the strips being provided with an offset or projection, and the other strip is also provided with an offset and a notch, substantially as set forth.

S. F. WHITAKER.

Witnesses:

J. O. DEWEY, M. J. GALVIN. 

